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DK2 1.51 doesn't even start / Win10 / Ryzen

Hi all,

So I decided to replay DK2, and remembered playing 1.5/1.51 as a child (I played a patched version without elite creatures, so that leaves one possibility). I gave the GOG version a spin and found the AI during campaign abysmal --which I had previously found challenging--, and lo and behold, turns out it was due to version 1.7 changing the way the AI behaves.

Thus I set myself on the task of re-installing good old 1.51, but I've run into the issue of the game not running at all! I run the DKII.exe, the hourglass spins for a few miliseconds, and that's it. It doesn't load up anything...

I have Windows 10, the dgVoodoo2 wrapper, a Ryzen processor (which is the only component shown as 'not meeting requirements' in the game's compatibility diagnostic), and have also tried setting a myriad of compatibility options (Windows 95/98/XP SP1,2,3)... to no avail.

Thus I decided to register in these here forums to ask the experts themselves. Do you have any idea what could be causing this problem, and possible ways to fix it?

Re: DK2 1.51 doesn't even start / Win10 / Ryzen

Welcome.

Yes, if you're lucky enough to have a disk you can simply not update to 1.7 which breaks the AI.
For people who only have GOG, or can't find a way to remove SafeDisc, download GIM to get the 1.51 AI on GOG with Elites.

Re: DK2 1.51 doesn't even start / Win10 / Ryzen

Originally Posted by YourMaster

Welcome.

Yes, if you're lucky enough to have a disk you can simply not update to 1.7 which breaks the AI.
For people who only have GOG, or can't find a way to remove SafeDisc, download GIM to get the 1.51 AI on GOG with Elites.

From what I've read, GIM introduces more things besides 1.51 AI and Elites, it alters a lot of other things -- after all, as the name implies, it's a mod.

It'd be cool if the author released a more 'purist' version so people can enjoy 1.7 with good AI without any additional modifications.

Re: DK2 1.51 doesn't even start / Win10 / Ryzen

Would that be G.I.M. Version 1.05?

Because the changelog for this version includes doubling HP for vampires, double HP for warlocks, double HP and damage for goblins, double cost for graveyard, extra spells on creatures (the list goes on...)

Far from purist if you ask me

Edit: Not that I'm saying the changes are bad, because clearly some people do enjoy them

I just went through the changelog (all changes made throughout versions are cumulative), and can confirm it's a full blown-out mod. Why it's marketed as 'purist', 'patch' or 'improved' I don't understand

The "least" intrusive is version 0.15 which he posted, but it still includes questionable content:

- Quadrupled the attack damage of the basic arrow attacks of the Dark Elf and the Elven Archer.
- Multiplied the attack damage of the guided bolt attacks of the Dark Elf and the Elven Archer by eight.
- Dark Elves and Elven Archers bolts and arrows now have a range of 25 instead of five.
- The range and attack damage of the Knives spell has been quadrupled.
- The damage the Grenade spell deals per tick has been multiplied by twenty (from 60 to 1200) and its area of effect has been increased by one tile (from 2 to 3).

...and some which are outright whimsically bad:

-Renamed some of the AI Keeper personalities: Master Keeper renamed to Moron, Stalwart to Brainless, Psychotic to Pathetic, Guardian to Vegetable, Thick Skinned to Thick Skulled and Paranoid to Stupid.